Kaiser Wilhelm lived a life of luxury while he was Germany’s Emperor. He entertained lavishly and had many tableware patterns at his various palaces, hunting lodges, etc. Perhaps the rarest (since it had the fewest place settings) were the pieces that came from the Kaiser’s yacht, the S. M. Y. (Seiner Majestät Yacht) Hohenzollern. Today we are offering a dessert or salad plate from the royal yacht.
The S. M. Y. Hohenzollern was launched in 1892. From 1892 to 1914, she served as the Kaiser’s personal yacht. He enjoyed spending summers in Norway, and she sailed to Great Britain, the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Mediterranean. [In fact, he loved his ship so much he spent four years out of that 24-year span aboard it]! The ship was 390 feet in length, and bristled with fifteen cannons and machine guns. She often was accompanied by one or more German warships. The S. M. Y. Hohenzollern had a crew of 295. Naturally, the Hohenzollern’s crew far outnumbered other similar-sized ships due to the large number of cabin stewards, servants, cooks, etc. required to “properly” attend to the Kaiser and his guests. Many of the officers who served aboard the S. M. Y. Hohenzollern, including the Kaiser’s son Adalbert, went on to have distinguished Kaiserliche Marine careers. Several became Admiräle or other top naval commanders after catching Wilhelm’s eye onboard the Hohenzollern and joining the fast track to more important commands.
Our offering today is a dessert or salad plate from the royal yacht’s table service. The plate, which measures 8 ½” in diameter, features two golden trim bands around its outer edges. Two very important sets of marks appear on the plate. At the very top is the Kaiser’s Standard (flag), which is NOT a naval-themed flag, but the Kaiser’s personal flag that announced his presence. [When the Kaiser reviewed army regiments in the field, a Regiment der Gardes du Corps NCO was in close attendance, brandishing the Kaiser’s Standard. If the Kaiser was in his limousine, the same Standard flew from the vehicle’s front. We offer one of the latter limousine flags in our inventory. When Wilhelm II abdicated his throne, he bestowed one of the limousine standards (and three other flags) upon a chauffeur. We offer one of the latter limousine flags in our inventory. When Wilhelm II abdicated his throne, he bestowed one of the limousine standards (and three other flags) upon a chauffeur. The flag group may be found by clicking here].
The letters “S. M. Y.” are written in gold directly below the Kaiser’s Standard depiction. A bandeau appears below the letters, with the word “Hohenzollern” written across it. Below that, a crowned Kette (Collar) of the Order of the Black Eagle appears in the plate’s center. [Every prince of the House of Hohenzollern was invested with this order. Certain other favored individuals also received the same Order, or other levels within it. The Order of the Black Eagle was purely a royal/noble order. It was NOT a military award]. The Kette’s center features the Kaiser’s royal cypher. The Kette and the Kaiser’s Standard stand out on the plate, giving it an amazing design that is quite different from the Kaiser’s tableware aboard his other fleet flagships (also available in our inventory).
The plate’s reverse displays the KPM hallmark. KPM was the sole firm providing all of Kaiser Wilhelm II’s tableware (as well as that for other House of Hohenzollern members). Beginning with Frederick the Great, every King, Königin, Kaiser, Kaiserin, Prince and Princess ordered their personal tableware from KPM. This distinguished firm (which survived WW I AND WW II) proudly served Prussia and Germany’s royalty and nobility. In addition to the correct KPM hallmark, we see that the plate was placed into service during 1899. KPM assigned placed-in-service dates to all of Wilhelm II’s items.
The plate’s overall condition is good with one exception. Viewing the Black Eagle centerpiece as one would a clock, at the 2 o’clock point you will note a small chip. The chip is NOT recent. It is a pity that it happened, but S. M. Y. Hohenzollern tableware is so rare that I purchased it anyway. I have had no more than two or three plates from the royal yacht ever offered to me. It remains an excellent piece for any collection. We have cut our pricing to the bone in order to compensate for the fault.

Description

Kaiser Wilhelm lived a life of luxury while he was Germany’s Emperor. He entertained lavishly and had many tableware patterns at his various palaces, hunting lodges, etc. Perhaps the rarest (since it had the fewest place settings) were the pieces that came from the Kaiser’s yacht, the S. M. Y. (Seiner Majestät Yacht) Hohenzollern. Today we are offering a dessert or salad plate from the royal yacht.
The S. M. Y. Hohenzollern was launched in 1892. From 1892 to 1914, she served as the Kaiser’s personal yacht. He enjoyed spending summers in Norway, and she sailed to Great Britain, the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Mediterranean. [In fact, he loved his ship so much he spent four years out of that 24-year span aboard it]! The ship was 390 feet in length, and bristled with fifteen cannons and machine guns. She often was accompanied by one or more German warships. The S. M. Y. Hohenzollern had a crew of 295. Naturally, the Hohenzollern’s crew far outnumbered other similar-sized ships due to the large number of cabin stewards, servants, cooks, etc. required to “properly” attend to the Kaiser and his guests. Many of the officers who served aboard the S. M. Y. Hohenzollern, including the Kaiser’s son Adalbert, went on to have distinguished Kaiserliche Marine careers. Several became Admiräle or other top naval commanders after catching Wilhelm’s eye onboard the Hohenzollern and joining the fast track to more important commands.
Our offering today is a dessert or salad plate from the royal yacht’s table service. The plate, which measures 8 ½” in diameter, features two golden trim bands around its outer edges. Two very important sets of marks appear on the plate. At the very top is the Kaiser’s Standard (flag), which is NOT a naval-themed flag, but the Kaiser’s personal flag that announced his presence. [When the Kaiser reviewed army regiments in the field, a Regiment der Gardes du Corps NCO was in close attendance, brandishing the Kaiser’s Standard. If the Kaiser was in his limousine, the same Standard flew from the vehicle’s front. We offer one of the latter limousine flags in our inventory. When Wilhelm II abdicated his throne, he bestowed one of the limousine standards (and three other flags) upon a chauffeur. We offer one of the latter limousine flags in our inventory. When Wilhelm II abdicated his throne, he bestowed one of the limousine standards (and three other flags) upon a chauffeur. The flag group may be found by clicking here].
The letters “S. M. Y.” are written in gold directly below the Kaiser’s Standard depiction. A bandeau appears below the letters, with the word “Hohenzollern” written across it. Below that, a crowned Kette (Collar) of the Order of the Black Eagle appears in the plate’s center. [Every prince of the House of Hohenzollern was invested with this order. Certain other favored individuals also received the same Order, or other levels within it. The Order of the Black Eagle was purely a royal/noble order. It was NOT a military award]. The Kette’s center features the Kaiser’s royal cypher. The Kette and the Kaiser’s Standard stand out on the plate, giving it an amazing design that is quite different from the Kaiser’s tableware aboard his other fleet flagships (also available in our inventory).
The plate’s reverse displays the KPM hallmark. KPM was the sole firm providing all of Kaiser Wilhelm II’s tableware (as well as that for other House of Hohenzollern members). Beginning with Frederick the Great, every King, Königin, Kaiser, Kaiserin, Prince and Princess ordered their personal tableware from KPM. This distinguished firm (which survived WW I AND WW II) proudly served Prussia and Germany’s royalty and nobility. In addition to the correct KPM hallmark, we see that the plate was placed into service during 1899. KPM assigned placed-in-service dates to all of Wilhelm II’s items.
The plate’s overall condition is good with one exception. Viewing the Black Eagle centerpiece as one would a clock, at the 2 o’clock point you will note a small chip. The chip is NOT recent. It is a pity that it happened, but S. M. Y. Hohenzollern tableware is so rare that I purchased it anyway. I have had no more than two or three plates from the royal yacht ever offered to me. It remains an excellent piece for any collection. We have cut our pricing to the bone in order to compensate for the fault.

Related products

This is an interesting, very rare, large, table platter for Kaiser Wilhelm II while he sailed with the German fleet aboard the Battleship S. M. S. Kaiser Wilhelm II, which served as his flagship while he was with his fleet. Kaiser Wilhelm II was very intrigued by his Navy and his role within it. Plans for the Imperial German Navy’s expansion were constantly brewing between the Kaiser and his alter-ego, Admiral von Tirpitz, at the Navy Ministry. Naturally, as the German Empire’s Kaiser, Wilhelm was expected to live well, but he went FAR beyond that. Wilhelm lived in virtually the same style on his royal yacht, the S. M. Y. Hohenzollern, as he did at any of his palaces on land, INCLUDING the specially-designed dishware. The S. M. Y Hohenzollern carried special plates, saucers, etc., exclusively for use on that vessel. Another vessel also carried exclusive tableware, the Battleship S. M. S. Kaiser Wilhelm II.
The S. M. S. Kaiser Wilhelm II was a pre dreadnaught battleship. It was a part of the Kaiser Friedrich III (Wilhelm II’s father) Battleship Class, which included a total of five ships. The S. M. S. Kaiser Wilhelm II was commissioned and entered fleet service in 1900. It served as the Kaiser’s fleet flagship (as well as the High Seas Fleet’s Flagship) from 1900 into 1906. It remained in this role until it was replaced by the S. M. S. Deutschland, which served as the Fleet Flagship from 1906 into 1913. (Naturally, a similar set of dishes was commissioned for the S. M. S. Deutschland!). The S. M. S. Friedrich der Grosse became Fleet Flagship in 1914. (I am not sure if the Kaiser ever sailed with that vessel or if it had any of HIS dishware). The High Seas Fleet’s final flagship was the S. M. S. Baden in 1917.
When the Kaiser hoisted his flag aboard the S. M. S. Kaiser Wilhelm II, he entertained officers from the fleet, as well as visiting foreign dignitaries. It was at these times that the Kaiser’s personal tableware was brought out to adorn the table. The platter measures a massive 13 1/2″ in diameter. [Please remember that a serving platter like this had far fewer examples within the exclusive tableware than a dinner plate or a salad/dessert plate]. The platter’s edge is trimmed with five smaller gold bands, one larger gold band, and one medium-size gold band. The magnificent platter is in near-mint condition. At its top, we see Kaiser Wilhelm’s flag crossed with his pennant. A blue bandeau imprinted in gold with S. M. S. Kaiser Wilhelm II appears beneath it. The platter’s center features a multicolored Golden Kette of the Order of the Black Eagle. [The latter were a non military family of decorations in which each male member of the House of Hohenzollern was invested. At the King of Prussia’s (later the Kaiser’s) discretion, lower levels of the order could be awarded to worthy recipients]. The centerpiece is VERY striking, to say the least.
The platter’s reverse displays the KPM logo (the porcelain manufacturing firm that served all Prussian Kings and Kaisers from the time of Frederick the Great through that of Wilhelm II). It also displays that the platter was placed into service in 1902, two years after the S. M. S. Kaiser Wilhelm II first sailed with the fleet.
This is one of our rarest examples of the Kaiser’s tableware.

DELUXE ALBUM – FIFTY-FIRST BIRTHDAY – KAISER WILHELM II

SKU: 20-237

$725.00

This is a very high-quality album commemorating Kaiser Wilhelm II’s fifty-first (1910) birthday. The album boasts a fine, white-leather cover. The front displays a beautifully embossed Hohenzollern Crown and other assorted items, along with Kaiser Wilhelm II’s Royal Cypher. The album measures 9 1/4″ x 6.” Each album leaf is shielded by a protective glassine page. (I will photograph each page for the pictures accompanying the description. However, to save space, I am not going to describe each one). The first page shows a Garde Star in high-relief. Numerous images of the Kaiser with reproduction signatures are included. It also has a menu from the Kaiser’s gala dinner and musicale on 27 January 1910. It is a captivating album.

Once again our old friend Prinz Alfons (1862-1933) of Bavaria makes an appearance on the pages of Der Rittmeister Militaria. Prinz Alfons was Prinz Adalbert of Bavaria’s second son. Although a House of Wittelsbach member, Prinz Alfons was well down on the Bavarian throne’s successor list. After serving as Prinz Regent for years, Ludwig III was elevated to König (when “Mad” Ludwig II died). This meant Kronprinz Rupprecht became the Bavarian heir apparent. Of course, he never became king because the empire fell in 1918. Prinz Alfons joined the Army in 1891 as a major in 1. Schweres-Reiter-Regiment Prinz Karl von Bayern. The regiment was founded in 1814. It was garrisoned in the capital of Munich, where it was assigned to the 1. Bavarian ArmeeKorps. In 1892 Prinz Alfons became the commander and oberst of 1. Schweres-Reiter-Regiment Prinz Karl von Bayern. Ultimately, he was promoted to General der Kavallerie, and served as the 7. Chevaulegers-Regiment Prinz Alfons’ Inhaber (Regimental Chef). This regiment was established in 1905 and named for Prinz Alfons. It was based at Straubing, where it was attached to the III. Bavarian ArmeeKorps. Prinz Alfons was never a front-line military commander, but as a royal he served in an à la Suite capacity. He held no official command during WW I. This pair of epaulettes belonged to Prinz Alfons when he served as a major in 1. Schweres-Reiter-Regiment Prinz Karl von Bayern. They are clearly for this regiment. We can tell by the epaulettes’ silver moons. While the epaulettes are similar to those of its sister regiment, 2. Schweres Reiter-Regiment Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand von Österreich-Este (founded in 1815 and garrisoned at Landshut), its moons are gilt. The material on the obverse is red. The rank of major is confirmed by the dangling silver trim (ringlets) hanging from its edges, (which was used for the three ranks of major, oberstleutnant, and oberst). Blue thread in the bullion trim also confirms them as Bavarian. These are some of the small details necessary for identifying shoulder boards/epaulettes’ regiments, especially when cyphers or regimental designations are not present. The epaulettes’ backing is a matching red. Overall, they are in very fine condition. The shoulder boards are housed in their original storage carton. The carton is quite large in order to properly accommodate these large epaulettes. A pedestal in its interior is where they are mounted and secured when they are not in use. The lid of the box has a white label on which is neatly penned “No II – 19 April 1891.” This is the date of either the entrance into the regiment, or when they were acquired. The designation “No II” was for Prinz Alfons’ valet, to make sure that he assembled the correct regalia for a given uniform. The inside lid of the carton has “Prinz Alfons von Bayern,” along with a Wittelsbach Crown and Stole over his name. A large white tag inside the lid proclaims that they come from the Christian Block workshops of Munich. Block (as noted on the label) was an official provider to the royal house. This is a great set in top condition. It would make a fine addition to any collection.

About Us

I'm Kenneth (Ken) J. Greenfield, currently of New Port Richey, Florida, located on the West Coast of Florida in the Tampa Bay area. I started out as a collector of Imperial German Militaria, particularly items dealing with the Imperial German Air Service in the early 1960's. After more than forty years of avid collecting, I began to sell a few items to upgrade my collection and help finance my collecting "habit." I attended militaria shows, both to buy and sell. I wanted to spend more time at home and less traveling for the national companies that I had worked for; so, starting my own business seemed like an attractive alternative. I like nothing better than talking with others about militaria, and introducing newcomers to the joys of owning a "piece of history."